Only Hope
by MarlanaKlice
Summary: At the conclusion of the Second War, Hermione Granger must learn to love without prejudice, dream without limits, and live life without expectations.
1. Chapter 1

The war had _just _ended. Literally, Voldemort had just been killed about an hour ago. It had been a long year, a year filled with anxiety and very little joy, but that was all about to change. Things were going to be very different. I knew they would be. I had hope that a completely new chapter was about to be started.

After a small bout of excitement and celebration, I sat down on a bench in the Great Hall. I looked around at my classmates, families, professors, and others that fought in the Battle of Hogwarts with a sense of content. Although there were many who had perished, they did not die in vain. All efforts had brought us to where we were now: on the other side.

"Hey," a strong, manly voice said to me. I broke out of my trance and looked above to where that voice came from. It was Ronald Weasley, my best friend and my… boyfriend? I smiled at him as he took a seat next to me. He snaked his arm around my waist and brought me closer to his bruised body.

"Hey," I said back as I nuzzled his neck.

Earlier that night, during the battle, I had had enough with all of my sexual, pent-up frustration with him and just laid a kiss right on his mouth. Ever since third year, I had began to _notice_ him as more than a best friend. Throughout the past few years, Ronald and I have had our ups and downs: when he didn't ask me soon enough to the Yule Ball our fourth year, when he dated Lavender Brown our sixth year, when he left Harry and me to continue our search for Horcruxes a few months ago. All of these misfortunes had brought us to the comfortable place where we were now: happily more than friends.

"Do you have any idea what happened to Harry?" I laughed into his neck.

"No idea. He probably went up stairs to sleep, honestly."

"I wouldn't blame him! That's exactly what I want to do," I yawned. It was a struggled to keep my eyes open, while speaking to Ron. I laid my head on his shoulder and we sat in silence. It was comfortable; I was glad just to be in a presence that experienced the same things I had.

We sat still for about two minutes, and I was almost completely asleep when I heard a whisper: "It's me." I instantly sat up, recognizing Harry's voice, although I could not see him underneath his Invisibility Cloak. "Will you come with me?" Ron and I stood up instantly and followed him out of the Great Hall and around the corner, stepping over bits of blasted concrete.

As we walked, Harry swung the Cloak off of his body and began to explain what had happened between the walk back to the Great Hall after witnessing Snape's death and his approach towards the castle in Hagrid's arms.

We made our way to Professor Dumbledore's quarters and went upstairs to the office, where Harry received a round of applause from the portraits of previous Headmasters and Headmistresses. He and Dumbledore had a brief conversation that was somewhat hard to follow, Harry repaired his broken wand with the Elder Wand, and we left the office.

"So, where do we go from here?" I asked Harry and Ron, as I curled my hands around theirs.

"Literally or figuratively?" Ron asked.

I shrugged and giggled quietly to myself. Honestly, I didn't even know if I meant literally or figuratively. My head was still swimming with thoughts of Voldemort's death and our triumphant victory and how Ron snogged me senseless mere hours ago, and there was no room for silly thoughts on the literal or figurative.

"Well, there is a four-poster bed in Gryffindor Tower with my name on it," Harry smiled, sleep close to overcoming him. I squeezed his hand, and Ron and I separated from Harry as he walked up a flight of stairs.

Ron released my hand and wrapped his arm around my waist once more.

"Where do you want to go?" I asked him, as we faced one another outside of the Great Hall. He rested his arms on my shoulders, and my arms slinked around his torso.

"I know what I want to do," he winked as he bent down and kissed me for the second time, which was almost as good as the first. I blushed and slapped him playfully, although he was reading my mind.

He laughed for a moment, but his laughter died quickly, as he peered inside the Great Hall and looked at a huddled mass of red-heads. While everyone around them was celebrating, his family was mourning the death of their beloved son and brother, Fred, who died in battle.

I know a part of him wanted to be with them, but like how I was feeling, he didn't want to leave my side. "You know what," I said, snapping him out of his gaze, "I'm going to go upstairs and lay down in the common room. Go and be with your family, and come find me later."

He knew that I knew what he wanted to do, and he pulled tight into his chest. "Thank you," he muttered and planted a kiss on top of my head. I squeezed him tightly and then released.

I made the familiar route up to Gryffindor Tower and smiled when I saw the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Password?" I asked hesitantly. Obviously, Harry had gotten inside the Tower somehow, so it mustn't have been that hard.

"There is not a password for you, Miss Granger," she said, as the portrait swung open. "Welcome back!"

I walked in and quickly gasped. There, lying on the floor, was Harry, mangled and twisted in the middle of the common room. I was instantly awake and alert; I drew my wand and hurried over to his side, my heart beating quickly. He appeared to be dead, and I squatted next to him, feeling his neck for a pulse. But then, something startled me: his loud snore.

He was not dead, but only asleep.

I rocked back from my squat to a sitting position next to Harry's sleeping body, too shaky to do anything else. I had thought a Death Eater had killed Harry the moment he walked into the common room, or his heart was so worn out that it had just stopped beating, but no, he was too tired to make it up several flights of stairs to the seventh-year dormitory.

While my wand was still out and at the ready, I whispered "Wingardium Leviosa" and flicked my wand, levitating Harry off the ground and over to a nearby couch.

I joined him on the adjacent arm chair and rested my feet on the coffee table. It took me a long time to get comfortable in that chair. Honestly, I would have moved across the common room to another set of couches, but I wanted, needed to be close to someone who I had shared so much with. I sank off the chair and onto the floor, where I crawled over and laid right in front of Harry and the couch. The shag rug covered the area and was comfortable and warm, and I fell quickly asleep in that position.

It was sometime later, much, much later, when I awoke briefly.

The first thing I noticed was how dark it was in the common room. I didn't know if I had slept all day or if I had been asleep for months.

The second thing I noticed was Harry's absence. I supposed he had awoken and made his way up to the four-poster bed he had been longing to sleep on.

The third thing I noticed was how cold I was. For it being early May, you would expect to be nice and warm. Unfortunately, that was not the case; it was very drafty in the common room.

As if he were an answer to my chilly prayer, Ron appeared from behind the couch with a blanket in tow. He smiled at me, and it made my already dizzy head spin. He laid down right next to me and covered our bodies with the blanket.

"What time is it?" I whispered, still feeling groggy.

"It's about ten-thirty at night. You and Harry slept the whole day!" he whispered back.

"I'm still really tired."

"I know you are, honey," Ron said quietly, tucking the blanket in at my side, "Just go back to sleep."

I awoke the next morning, feeling rested from the deep sleep I had the previous day before. I sat up, popped my back, and looked around, finding a quick note left on the nearby coffee table.

_Hermione-_

_Good morning! Come down to the Great Hall when you wake up! I'll meet you there._

_Love,_

_Ron_

I smiled at his thoughtfulness and stood from the pallet on the floor. I exited the common room and ran through the corridors, feeling that today was the beginning of a new chapter, when I tasted the inside of my stale mouth. I took a small pit-stop at a lavatory, but was quickly on my way once more when I used my wand to fix my bad breath and tame my bed head.

Then, I ran the rest of the way to the Great Hall. As I entered, I scanned the masses for Harry, Ron, and Ginny. Spotting them at the Gryffindor table with Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood, I hurried over to them and sat down.

"Hello, Sleepyhead!" Ginny smiled in greeting.

"Hello, everyone! Such a lovely day, we're having, isn't it?" I asked, pouring myself some pumpkin juice.

"Who are you and what have you done with Hermione?" Neville questioned, causing laughter around our circle.

"I don't know! I'm just in such an incredible mood this morning! It feels as if everything is realigning in the world! Voldemort's dead, we've all survived, our lives are about to start!" I exclaimed. "Is that weird?" Everyone shrugged and shook their heads.

We fell into an uncomfortable silence, until Luna spoke up: "Everyone, let's go around the table and say one positive thing about this exact moment in time! I'll start!" She thought about this a little bit, before she said, "I like that I cannot sense any Whrackspurts in the immediate area. It puts me at ease."

She nodded towards Neville, who stared down at the sword of Gryffindor, which was still lying within his grasp. "Dumbledore had always said that only a _true_ Gryffindor could pull the sword out of the Sorting Hat. I like the fact that I am a _true_ Gryffindor. I mean, I had always known that I was meant to be in Gryffindor, but for the sword to recognize me as a _true_ Gryffindor is an incredible feeling."

Ginny, who was sitting next to Neville opened her mouth. "I'm glad that Hogwarts is mostly still standing. Sure, parts of it have been blasted or smashed to pieces, but our home is mostly intact. We've spent so much time here, and while I was fighting, I wasn't working to protect myself or people… but the school and its honor," she said, her gaze transfixing on something in the distance. "But anyway, I'm just glad we can still recognize that we're in the Great Hall."

Ginny nudged his arm and he smiled at her. "I'm thankful for the elves and their food. You don't really appreciate them until you go for weeks and weeks without proper food to eat."

Harry looked at me from across the table, and I realized it was my turn. "I like that we can all be together again. I cannot tell you how many times you three crossed my mind and how I sometimes wished I could be with you guys at Hogwarts, studying and going to watch Quidditch and causing mischief. I'm glad that we can be friends for the rest of our lives." Neville, Luna, and Ginny smiled at me from across the table, and I looked upward at Ron, who was staring down at my face.

"I'm so glad that I get to sit next to the most beautiful girl in this room, and wrap my arm around her, and kiss her on the lips if I want to," Ron said with a smile.

Although what he said was very corny and disgustingly sweet and embarrassed me a bit, I blushed and smiled at him and squeezed his side. Ginny and Harry looked as if they were about to vomit, Neville looked a little confused, and Luna smiled her usual, lofty smile. "That was very sweet, Ronald." After a moment, Harry and Ginny said their goodbyes and left the table. Luna and Neville were asked something by the Parvarti twins, who were sitting at the Hufflepuff table, so they turned their backs on us to talk.

Ron leaned down and kissed me deeply on the lips. We kissed for a couple of seconds before he pulled away and rested his forehead against mine. "I really meant what I said, Hermione," he muttered, his warm breath airing my face.

"I know you did!" I said back, as we pulled apart. His kiss had put me back in my blissful mood, and as Luna and Neville turned around, I scanned the Great Hall, thinking contently about my future. That was when I locked eyes with Draco Malfoy, who was staring me down.

Although we only looked at each other for about five seconds, his dark grey eyes explained so much to me. He and his parents were not going to be sent to Azkaban, after their switch in alliance before the battle recommenced, so there was a touch of relief in his gaze. I could also see the exhaustion in his features. I had known that Voldemort had ordered him to kill Professor Dumbledore during our sixth year, and that had obviously pained him tremendously. Then, when we saw him again around Easter, he looked emotionally tired, like he had grown weary of always keeping his heart guarded on lock and key. His eyes looked haunted and scarred from all of the horrible things they had witnessed. There was also a sense of longing, hiding behind those grey eyes. I had no idea what he was longing for, but it was something not easily attainable.

After a bit of uncomfortable eye contact, I dropped my eyes for a moment and then lifted them once more to him. He was still looking at me.

"Hermione, who are you staring at?" Neville asked, breaking my concentration on Malfoy's face.

"Oh, no one, just staring into space!" I responded happily, turning some of my attention to Luna's explanation of her capture at the Christmas holidays. I glanced back to see if Malfoy was _still_ staring at me, but he was gone.

And when you think the trouble has just ended…


	2. Chapter 2

As if on cue, Professor McGonagall stood up from her place at the front of the Gryffindor table and walked up four stairs and stood before everyone on the raised platform, Dumbledore's usual spot. Once positioned there, she nodded towards Kingsley, who had just been named Temporary Minister of Magic, to come join her in front of the crowd.

"May I have your attention, please?" she hollered to those sitting in the Great Hall. Instantly, the crowd quieted down to silence.

"Hopefully, you all have had enough time to recuperate after the battle. Now, it is time to take care of business. Starting today, we will begin to restore Hogwarts to its former glory. We will need skilled wizards and witches to come forward help us repair the school. If you would like to help, please sign up on the sheet up here.

"There is also another sign-up sheet up here, but for a very somber reason. To honor those who passed in battle, Hogwarts would like to host a memorial to pay homage to your loved one while we are all still together. If you are a family member or friend who lost someone dear to you, please come up to the stage and sign their name to fill one of the time slots. I know this may seem like a disrespectful way to remember our dead, but we want to honor your loved one all together on Hogwarts soil.

"One last thing: Minister Kingsley and I need to speak to all students who have just completed their seventh year at Hogwarts under the direction of Professor Snape and the Carrows. Students, if this applies to you, please follow us to the Library for a brief meeting.

"Thank you for your attention," she said, before she and Kingsley left the platform and strode out of the Great Hall. I looked to Ron, Neville, and Luna, who all began to stand up. "Are we included in this meeting?" I asked Ronald, but McGonagall nodded as she passed us.

I stood up and trailed Kingsley out of the Great Hall, the first of about twenty-five behind me. We were walking up a staircase when I realized something. "Where's Harry?" I exclaimed to Ron. He rolled his eyes and went to open the door to the nearest broom closet. Harry and Ginny, feverish from all of the snogging, rolled out of the cupboard. I knew that their intensity bothered Ron, so he stomped away.

Harry and Ginny looked absolutely confused, until I grabbed Harry's arm and yanked him off the floor. "Come on, lover-boy. We've got a meeting to attend," I said to him as I dragged him down the corridor.

"Meet up with you later, Gin!" he winked before I pulled him around the corner.

We caught up with Ronald quickly, who looked as if he had steam coming out of his ears.

"Sorry, mate, it's now or never, isn't it?" Harry said, using Ron's exact same words when he kissed me during the war.

"Honestly, man, she's my sister. Can you guys just cool it and not do it in broom closets?" he asked.

Harry nodded, and the whole conversation topic died down. We reached the empty library and hurried to an empty banquet room. I sat down between Harry and Ron, eager to hear what McGonagall and Kingsley would have to say.

"Keep coming in. Take a seat, students," Kingsley said, as the last students filed into the study room.

"Alright, we called you in here to discuss your future plans. We understand that you have had a less-than subpar year, so we are offering you an opportunity to redo your seventh year. Unlike the upcoming seventh years, you will have more freedom: a completely separate common room and dormitories, a very flexible schedule, internship availability, and much more. It will be a very unique experience, and we hope some of you will consider it.

"However, there is another option for some of you. While we understand the importance to your education, we are hoping that some of you will immediately join us at the Ministry of Magic. You are a very skilled and advanced group of wizards, and we don't need N.E.W.T. scores to tell us this. The Ministry is in complete disarray, and we need your clever minds and your avid spirits to restore the broken Wizarding World.

"Now, you don't have to give us an answer today, but we would like your response at the end of the week. That way, we can begin to prepare your roles in the Ministry or your classes if you choose to stay at Hogwarts," Kingsley explained.

We all nodded and some began to stand and leave the study room. Harry, Ronald, and I stood up until we heard, "You three, wait up!" It was Kingsley's voice.

We turned, and he gestured us to sit back in our seats. We did and he nodded to us.

"I'm sorry to say this, but you three don't really have a long time to make decisions. Harry, I know you have previously voiced interest in becoming an Auror, and we would be glad to have you. You two, as well, Ron, Miss Granger. You three are fierce and strong-headed, the traits of a great Auror. We need to start hunting down Dark wizards immediately, before they have enough time to escape the country, and we believe that you will be the perfect people to begin the hunt. We would like to put you three on the case within a week," Kingsley stated, sending Ron and Harry into a smiling frenzy. They were still lusting after blood.

"I'm sorry, Minister, but what about school?" I asked.

"Well, Miss Granger, I'm sure we could use your talent during the summer, but that will be difficult, considering all of the preparation it will take to train you three. We would like to send you to the Ministry next week to begin your training. There, you will strengthen your body and your mind. An Auror must be physically and emotionally prepared for what they will face on their journeys. To be honest, Hermione, we won't send you out until late August, early September on actual missions, and you'd already be at school by then."

"So, what you are saying is that I shouldn't even bother training to become an Auror?"

"If it is something you probably won't pursue after school, then I wouldn't," Kingsley declared and I nodded. I was completely content with not training to become an Auror. "But Harry, Ron, are you two still interested?"

They nodded excitedly, and after discussing a few more things with the two boys, Kingsley and McGonagall dismissed us from the library.

We were walking down the hall when Harry said, "Hermione, what are your plans for the summer?" I hadn't thought too much about my short-term future, but I knew that I would leave as soon as possible to find my parents and restore their memory. They would be disappointed that I lied to them and frightened once I explained to them all I had been through, but those were just minor worries. I was just praying to Merlin that my spell would be lifted without difficulty.

"I need to go find my parents in Australia and restore their memory," I said to them, as we wandered around the school.

"How long do you think that will take?" Ronald asked, sadness in his voice.

"Well, I'll probably been gone for a while, spending time with them. But I will return as quickly as I can!" I smiled as I grabbed his hand. His tense face relaxed quickly; it was obvious that my words put him at ease.

"Ron, do you think we will be ready for this 'extensive' training?" Harry asked him.

"I'm not sure, mate, but I'm ready to blow off some steam."

"What do you mean?" I cut in.

"Well, I'm still feeling frustrated about Fred and the outcome of the battle and other things, and I'm just ready to run some laps and kill some Death Eaters, you know?"

"I understand," I said, although I never pictured Ronald as much of a runner.

"It'll just be weird being away from you for so long," Ron said to me, releasing my hand and throwing his arm over my shoulder.

"Really?" I giggled.

"No, I know what you mean, Ron," Harry said, but stuttered when Ron sent him death glares. "Oi! It's not like I'm in love with her or anything! But we've been together at all times for the past year. We're going to start going in different directions, and it's kind of weird…"

"I know, it's going to be tough to be away from you. You guys mean everything to me," I said simply. My throat was becoming dry and there was a lump the size of a baseball wedged in there. I swallowed it back, trying my hardest not to cry. I slowed my walk to a halt, the boys standing in front of me. I wrapped my arms around their necks and pulled them into me. It was an awkward group hug, but very sufficient.

"I love you guys," Ron said, squeezing my side.

His little love pinch sent me over the edge, and tears began to stream down my face. We pulled away from one another, and I saw Harry and Ron wiping tears from their eyelids. We stared at each other in disbelief for a moment and burst into laughter. After the short bit of amusement, I began to cry again at my overwhelming happiness.

"Okay, I have to get out of here before Hermione makes me start to cry again!" Harry said, planting a quick kiss on my cheek and clapping Ron on the back. He left us in the deserted corridor, probably in search of Ginny.

We watched his retreating back in silence and turned to face each other, a soft smile on my face. Ron took his thumb and wiped away one remaining tear on my cheek. He stared down at me for a moment, and I looked up into his blue, sparkling eyes.

"You are so beautiful," he said, as he laid a kiss upon my lips that left me somewhat breathless. We broke apart after a moment, when he said, "Hermione, I have something to say."

I looked up at him in expectancy. I was nervous to hear what he had to say, seeing as Ron was spit-balling his feelings into the open lately. We began to walk down a corridor or two, when I realized we were outside, headed towards the lake.

"Over the past year, or over the past couple of years, actually, I've developed strong feelings for you. It was probably in second year when I started to feel different around you. You were petrified by the basilisk, and I was petrified in fear and worry about you. I guess I tried to mask that anxiety as something else, but it didn't work too well. Then, it's just kind of escalated over the past years. Finally, I came to realize my true feelings for you when we were at the Malfoys, and Bellatrix was torturing you. I would have done _anything_ to have them spare you, and when that thought popped into my head, I knew that I was in love with you," Ron explicated to me.

I stared at him, a war of emotions raging inside of me. Everything he was saying made complete sense to me, and I knew that I had strong feelings for him, too. But did I love him? Was I head over heels, his and her towels, let-me-bare-your-children in love with him? I didn't know.

He was looking at me with so much hope shinning in those sapphire eyes, and there was no way I could let him down. After a moment of hesitation, I smiled and said, "I love you, too." He grinned a smile so large that I thought his cheeks were going to explode, and he lifted me off my feet and into his arms, kissing me passionately.

Honestly, what had I gotten myself into? I could tell I was in trouble when he was kissing me with strong intensity. He was expressing his love through his kisses, and I wasn't able to return his passion because I wasn't sure if I had felt it. I loved Ron, but as I was kissing him, I was led to believe that my heart didn't _burn _for him.

After a couple minutes of snogging in his arms by the lake, he set me down. He was positively giddy. He smiled that dumbstruck smile of his. "Well, are you ready to go inside?"

"You know, I might sit out by the lake for a few minutes. But you go on in! I'll meet you later for lunch!" I said. He kissed me quickly on the lips, murmured 'I love you', and hurried on his merry way.

I sat down by the lake and let my eyes roll to the back of my head, reflecting on my morning. It wasn't even noon, and my day had already been crazy. Was this only an example of how high-speed my life would be?

"Nice save, Granger!" a voice complimented me from behind my back. I whirled around and noticed that I was about six feet away from Draco Malfoy. I rolled my eyes and turned around to face the lake again. Malfoy did not do well with girls not paying attention to him, so he came and sat down next to me. "But seriously, in the future, you should make it more belivable, Granger! I could smell your hesitation from a mile away."

"Bug off, Malfoy," I muttered quickly and stared off in another direction.

"Or am I mistaken? By the way you were responding to his kiss, I would say that my first assumption is still correct."

My approach to having him leave was just to ignore him. If I didn't respond to any of his antics, he would become bored and leave me to my thoughts. However, that was not the case.

"You know, Granger, you wouldn't kiss me like that."

"You know, Malfoy, you're actually right!" I said sarcastically. He was taken aback, however, because I could tell that he was suggesting that he was a better kisser than Ron.

"I am?" he asked.

"Yeah, I would _never_ kiss you, so your statement was correct." I stood up, leaving my comfortable patch of grass by the lake. I knew that this would be my only time for escape, and I was desperate to take it. I began to walk towards the castle.

"I meant to say that you wouldn't have any hesitations with me!" he hollered at me, as I stalked away.

"You should have said that when you made your previous declaration! Looks like you should think about what you want to say before you let it slip out of your mouth, Malfoy!" I winked.

I definitely could have given a better comeback, but after the morning I had been having, I had very little energy to respond with something good. However, when I release an groan and a slap on the forehead behind me, I knew I had succeeded.


	3. Chapter 3

After fleeing the lawn and towards the Great Hall, I could feel the heat in my cheeks slowly diminish. Why did that dumb bloke have such a power over me? And more importantly, why did I let him? He had mocked me, made fun of me, and laughed at my misfortune. Why did he cause such a stir in me?

I made my way back towards the library, the only place I could go to clear my head. I had just told Ron that I loved him, but obviously, that wasn't how I truly felt. I knew it, but it was a completely different thing when a bystander could notice it too.

I arrived at the doors of the library and scurried through the maze of bookshelves to my back corner of the library. During my first year at Hogwarts, I had discovered a small alcove near the Muggle literature that contained three large windows that peered over the Forbidden Forest, a comfortable recliner, and a study table that contained four chairs. Whether Harry, Ron, and I were studying for a Charms test or I was reading her favorite Muggle novels, I always came straight to the alcove to get my work done.

I approached my recliner and turned it around, so it faced the large windows. I couldn't get in that chair fast enough before I let my emotions get the best of me. I had been stressed out for so long because of Voldemort and the search for Horcruxes, and then the idea of love and the nearing future overwhelmed me before I had any time to recuperate. So I sat there in the chair and watched the sky turn from a bright overcast to a stormy darkness and had myself a good cry.

I didn't acknowledge time as it passed. Once I finished crying, I allowed myself to feel comforted by the quietness and the familiarity of the library. In the peace and quiet, I knew things were going to be okay. I was strong enough to ensure that my future would be decided by me and my feelings, and I was hopeful enough to assume I wouldn't sever any ties.

The torches clicked on in the library and I knew from being in the library many times when the torches would click on that it was close to 8:30 pm. I had sat there all day and missed lunch and dinner. My muscles were tense when I rose from the recliner, and after stretching, I strode out of the library with some sort of idea of aligning my future:

I knew that my priority was finding my parents and restoring their identities. My next priority would be to return to school for my last year as a student at Hogwarts and focus on my studies and building my resume. I needed to find something I was passionate about and run with it. Then, I would find a career. My love life, whether it would be with Ronald Weasley or some unknown man or no one entirely, would be on the back burner for a long, long time.

I felt a pep come into my step as I confidently thought about my plan.

The first step to putting my plan into action was informing Professor McGonagall. She was someone whom I admired, and I wanted her approval. The trek from the library to Dumbledore's office took a little over five minutes, but my head was swimming with hope to even notice. I arrived in front of the staircase that led to McGonagall's makeshift office and took the liberty to head on up. Approaching the door, I knocked twice and then, opened the door to pop my head in. My eyes locked with her hazel ones.

"Ah, Miss Granger! Please come in!" she welcomed. I hurried inside and took a seat in front of her desk. "What do I owe the pleasure? You were able to untangle yourself from Mr. Weasley long enough to come visit?"

My blush was apparent. "Um, yes, I was. I wanted to run something past you, something regarding my next few months." 

"Well?" 

"Well, I am very interested in coming to back to Hogwarts. I couldn't dream of doing anything different! But I have something very important that needs to happen first," I said. She lifted her eyebrows, waiting for me to continue. "I need to find my parents." 

"Oh yes, of course Mrs. Granger! That is something of the utmost importance!" McGonagall explained. 

"Thanks, Professor! I'm so glad you understand!" 

"I know that finding your parents and restoring their memory has to happen before you could ever be happy here again, so I completely understand! It's just rather unfortunate it needs to happen right NOW..." she trailed off, avoiding my confused eyes. 

"What do you mean?" I asked. 

"Well, my dear, I was going to name you Head Girl." Happy alarms started going off in my head. I was going to be Head Girl? This was something I had dreamed about since Day One! I had always tried my best in everything, waiting patiently for this moment, the moment that I was awarded Head Girl! 

"Professor, I don't see the problem!" I happily cried, not thinking about anything else, except my new Head Girl status!" 

"There is a slight problem, actually. You see, this year, Head Boy and Girl have new duties. Because of the amount of second-time Seventh Years, I was going to use you and Head Boy to work closely with them and lead the rest of the student body from afar, just as usual. Because of the amount of work that is going into the job of Head Boy and Girl, I was going to invite you both to stay at Hogwarts this summer and prepare for the upcoming school year. I'm afraid that time with the Head Boy is essential!" she explained. 

I only saw one option: Professor McGonagall taking back her proposal... As much as I loved my parents, I was preparing myself to tell her that I would search for my parents much later, once I finished school and most importantly, my duties as Head Girl. 

"Unless..." I heard McGonagall mutter. My hope was returning! McGonagall was scheming a way for me to have my cake and eat it too! 

"Unless what, Professor?" 

"Unless you asked the Head Boy to accompany you on your travels..." She tapped her chin and pondered her idea. "Yes, that is marvelous actually! While you are searching for your parents, you two could be prepping for the year ahead! Plus, it would give you time to get to know each other! And you would also have protection! This is marvelous!" 

I was too relieved to think the idea through. This was the only way I would get to keep my position and I wasn't going to let anything hold me back! 

"Oh that's wonderful, Professor! Alright, fill me in, who's Head Boy? Neville? Blaise Zabini? I would even settle for Seamus!" My heart was pounding in excitement and nervousness. I couldn't wait much longer; the anticipation was killing me. 

Professor McGonagall looked at me kind of sadly, and opened her mouth to speak. I simply couldn't believe the name that came from her lips: 

"Draco Malfoy."


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning, I woke up refreshed, and my hope was back. McGonagall had destroyed it when she announced who the new Head Boy was, but I was determined that things were going to work out, just as I always was. 

According to McGonagall, Malfoy already knew that he was Head Boy but obviously had no idea about my parents or my desperate need for him to agree to go with me, My plan was to approach him sometime during the next day and get him to accompany me on my mission. Then, I would tell Ron, Harry and Ginny of what transpired and leave the next day, with my bags and Malfoy in tow. 

I rose out of bed, took a quick shower, and applied make up for the first time in what seemed like ages. After throwing on a pair of shorts and a big t-shirt I had acquired from a vacation, I was ready to go down and somehow find a way to visit with Malfoy. 

Walking from the Gryffindor tower to the Great Hall gave me time to breathe and pray about what was going to happen next. Was he going to agree easily? Was he going to spit in my face and completely reject me? I had no idea, but I was praying for the best and expecting the worse. 

I waltzed into the Great Hall and noticed Malfoy sitting completely by himself at the Slytherin table. _Now or never,_ I thought, before I approached him. I was maybe five feet away when he looked up and smirked at me. "Coming to kiss me without hesitations, my lovely Granger?"

I ignored and straddled the bench beside him. "Ohhhh, I see you, you've come back for more than a kiss!" he exclaimed, letting his long finger run up the inside of my thigh. I slapped his hand away from my crotch. "Now, Draco, that's no way you should be treating your future partner and roommate!"

"Excuse me?" 

"I'm the Head Girl, remember!" 

"Oh, must have slipped my mind!" he said, before turning back to breakfast. 

"Actually, Malfoy, in all seriousness, I have something I'd like to discuss with you..." I muttered, and he turned to me with confused eyes. He set his fork down and faced me. "I'm listening, Granger." 

"Well, right after we left Hogwarts after sixth year, I knew that I was going to have to leave everything behind and help Harry on his missions. So I started making preparations, getting ready to leave. The last and most important thing I did was to protect my parents. I wiped their memories clean and sent them to live in Australia. I knew that if I died through all of this, they would be safe and happy for the rest of their lives" I felt tears welling up in my eyes, and I noticed Malfoy's face contort in sympathy, which was odd. I continued with my story: "So now, that I've made it through this whole mess, I need to go to Australia, and... I need you to come with me." 

His face looked like the wind was kicked out of him. 

"Me? Why do you need me? Why not Potter or your lover, Weaslebee?" 

"Well, Professor McGonagall suggested this, actually. She said that the only way I could keep my position as Head Girl was to have you come with me. We need to be making plans for the upcoming school year this summer, and we have to be together for that to work, whether we're staying here or in a hotel in Australia.

"So, Draco Malfoy, I'm begging for you to come with me to Australia," I concluded, hoping and praying that he would say yes. 

He looked at me for a long time, trying to decide what to do. After about three minutes of thought, he asked, "What's in it for me?" 

I exhaled. I hadn't thought about that part. "Honestly, anything you want that I can give to you. I'm so desperate to keep my position as Head Girl and find my parents. We both know this rests completely on you and what I can give you, but I'll try to give you whatever you want if you help me."

He twirled his fork in his porridge, surveying his options. He looked at me, his eyes shining but his mouth indicating nothing. "Alright, I'll go with you!"

I literally leaped on him and squeezed his neck, before I realized I was on top of him in the Great Hall with tons of people watching. I backed off him quickly and blubbered around awkwardly, trying to find the right words to thank him. Finally, I jumped back towards him and wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders.

"What is this for?" he whispered in my ear as he patted my back.

I pulled away from him with tears in my eyes; I was too happy to stop them or to hide them. "I am just so thankful that you would agree to this! Who would have thought that you could be so-"

"Nice?" he finished for me with a scowl on his face.

"Well, yeah, actually!"

"Well, Granger, I know it's hard to imagine, but it happens more often than once in a blue moon." With that, he stood and huffed out of the Great Hall.

I didn't really have time to try and sort that one out, so I left the Slytherin table and met my friends at the Gryffindor table. Ron and Harry were discussing some Quidditch match, while Ginny was absentmindedly scratching Harry's back. I came up to the table and she snapped out of her trance. "Hermione! Hi! We haven't seen you in such a long time!" 

"I know, Gin! I've just been busy! But, Ron, are you done with breakfast? I need to talk to you!" I said, my heartbeat quickening in anxiousness. 

"Yeah of course! Ready to go now?" I nodded and he stood. Harry and Ginny exchanged worried glances at each other and then at me, but Ron seemed to not notice anything. He followed me out of the Great Hall and sat next to me on a bench across the corridor. 

"What did you want to talk about?" 

"Well, I have something I need to tell you." 

"Mione, I thought we got everything out yesterday when we told each other we loved each other?" he asked, confused. 

"Well, Ron, that's just it... I think we may have rushed into things too fast. We're about to go completely separate directions; I'm going to Australia to find my parents with Malfoy and you're going into the Ministry, and I don't think things are going to work out for us right now. So, I think we need to-" 

"Wait, wait, wait," he exclaimed, cutting me off. "Malfoy is going with you to Australia?" 

"Well... yes!" 

"Is that part of the reason you're breaking things off with me? To go to Australia and be with that slimy git? You're going with that... that bloody Death Eater?" he yelled, standing up and causing a commotion. 

"Ronald Weasley, sit down. You are embarrassing yourself. Regardless of his past, he needs forgiveness in order to begin his future! So I'm giving that to him. And besides, I'm not breaking off things with you because of him, I'm doing it because of myself! I don't have feelings for you in that way!" I harshly whispered at him. Tears sprung up in his eyes and were about to spill over. 

"So all of those times we snogged, when you told me you loved me, it was all a lie?" 

I sadly nodded and looked at him with blurred vision because of my tears. Even though I knew that I did not have feelings for him, I still felt sad. He was my best friend and I didn't want to ruin that or see him sad. "Ronald, I'm so sorry. I hope you'll understand someday." He completely shook his head, wiped tears from his eyes, and turned his back on me. 

I composed myself and headed straight for the dungeons in search for Malfoy. I arrived down in the pits of Hogwarts and pounded on the door to the Slytherin common room. He opened the door and leaned against the doorframe. "What do you want, Granger?" 

"How would you feel about leaving tonight?"


	5. Chapter 5

We were standing on the balcony in Dumbledore's office, holding hands as McGonagall told us exactly where the Portkey we were holding would take us. "Please owl me as soon as you arrive, so I know you got there safetly!"

"Of course, Professor! See you soon, hopefully!" I cried, as we whooshed off into swirling darkness. We landed in Sydney, Australia, in a deserted alleyway. Malfoy looked like he was going to throw up everywhere, and I wasn't feeling too great myself. After we took some time to gather ourselves, we were able to stand upright and take off down the street. 

"What do we do first, Granger? Do you even have a plan?" Malfoy asked me. Naturally, I didn't have a plan, but I was going along with it all. "Yes, I do actually! First, we probably need to, uh..." 

"You don't have any clue what you're doing, do you?" he said as he hailed a cab for us. A taxi pulled up to our side of the street, and he opened the door for me. He was being more kind than usual and more of a gentleman than Harry or Ron had ever been, and it was a nice change. I climbed in the car, and he followed in right after me." 

"Take us to the InterContinental please!" he told the cab driver. 

"The InterContinental?" I asked. 

"Nicest hotel in Sydney." He turned his head to look out the window, ending all conversation. We rode in silence, until the cab came to a halt under the hotel's awning. Draco paid the driver quickly and jumped out of the cab, coming to my side to open her door. I got out and stared at him in disbelief; who was this kind gentleman and where had he been all seven years I had known him? "What, Granger? Stop staring at me, it's creepy!" he said, as he lightly grabbed me by the elbow and pulled me inside the hotel lobby. 

He expertly looped my arm in the crook of his as we approached the front desk. I was going to speak up and get us a room with two beds, but he jumped in when he recognized the man behind the desk. 

"Draco Malfoy! What a surprise it is to see you!" 

"Tom, how have you been? It's been a long time!" he smiled, shaking the man's hand with his free arm. 

"Mr. Malfoy, we haven't seen you or your father in over a year, what's the deal?" Tom questioned. 

"Oh, business has been busy in the UK, so we had little time for a vacation!" he explained. I rolled my eyes; the Malfoys have had a lot of business in the past year. 

"Oh my gosh, where are my manners?" Tom exclaimed as he finally noticed me. "I'm Tom Smith, I've served the Malfoy family here for close to twenty years?" 

"Yes, he's been very faithful to our family," Malfoy said, addressing me. "Tom, this is my fiance, Hermione Granger!" Malfoy patted my hand that still rested on his elbow, and once I overcame my shock of being called his fiance, I extended my hand for Tom to kiss. "Pleasure to meet you," I responded smoothly. 

"Likewise," Tom smirked back. "Now, what brings you two to Sydney?" 

"Impromptu vacation! But we're also here to visit Hermione's parents." Malfoy released my arm as he reached into his pocket for his wallet and pulled out a platinum card that looked to hold Muggle money on it. 

"How exciting! Well, Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger, I've booked your father's usual room for you both, Room 839! Enjoy your stay and if there is anything you need, I'm happy to help!" Tom said as he handed Malfoy a room key. 

"Thank you so much!" I smirked as him as Malfoy grabbed my hand and led me to the elevators. We got one that was empty, and I pushed the eighth floor button for us. Once we started rising toward our floor, Malfoy started to laugh. 

"What's so funny?" I asked, crossing my arms. 

"You back there! I could have sworn you were channelling your inner Malfoy!" he chuckled, his eyes dancing. 

"Well, I had to play the part, considering YOU INTRODUCED ME AS YOUR FIANCE!" I cried, giving him a well deserved slap on the arm. 

"Oh, sorry Granger, I forgot to tell you. Part One of our plan was to find shelter, Part Two was to come up with our back story. Good thing you know how to lie!" he smirked. 

"You know, Malfoy, being a good liar isn't something to proud of!" 

"Wait, did I say you were a good liar? I thought I only said you knew how to lie?" My mouth flapped like a fish, trying to find a good comeback to retort that, but I couldn't find anything. 

"I have a question!" I said, after a few moments of silence. 

"I don't want to hear it, but I think you're going to ask me anyway." 

I ignored his rudeness and asked, "Is being a Death Eater really your family's business?" His eyes, dancing with laughter only moments ago, sparked with anger and rage. It was clear that I had pissed him off. "Excuse me?"

I wasn't going to back off this one. "Well you told Tom that you were quite busy with your business in the UK this past year... I mean, your father seemed to have little time to hold another job, besides being Voldemort's caddy." 

I was talking one moment, and then the next, I was backed up against the elevator wall. He had me pinned there and his face was right up against mine. His eyes were fired and it seemed that smoke was coming out of his ears. As much as I didn't show it, fear was rising up from the pit of my stomach. "Don't you EVER discuss my father in that way. Am I clear?" His eyes were searching into mine, and deep down, beneath all of the hate he felt for me and my words, I could see kindness and compassion bubbling in them. Although his anger scared me, I would not be paralyzed by it because I knew that he was good underneath. I gained some courage and stared boldly in his face. "Crystal. Crystal clear." 

He somewhat snapped to his senses and pulled away from me, his face blushing in embarrassment. Above all, Draco realized he was a gentleman, and gentlemen did not have women pressed up against wall... well maybe pressed against the wall for another reason, but not that one. He fidgeted with his hands and shifted his weight for the rest of trip, looking at me in embarrassment. 

The elevator doors opened and I led the way down the hall to Room 839. I was ready to get under the cool sheets and sleep for a long time, uninterrupted by Malfoy's presence. However, when I opened the door, I was unable to hide my look of embarrassment. 

There was only one bed for them to share. 

Draco peered over me into the room and pushed past me, setting down our small amount of luggage. He turned to me, waiting for me to come in and close the door, but I was in too much shock to do it! I was going to have to share a bed with Draco Malfoy? In my wildest dreams, I never would have imagined that. When he realized I wasn't going to move, he went into the restroom and alleviated himself. I heard him wash his hands and watched him open the bathroom door. He leaned against the doorframe. 

"What's shocking about the bed? That you're going to have to share it with one of Voldemort's caddies?" he asked, scowling at me. 

It was not usually in my nature to apologize first, but there was no reason to fight with him. He looked really hurt by my comments, and I found myself wanting to take away his pain, even if it only came with an apology. "I'm really sorry, that was a low blow back in the elevator."

He only nodded and looked away. "I'm sorry too," I heard him mutter, and that was enough for me.

He went to the closet in the room and removed extra blankets and pillows. Going to the foot of the bed, he started to make a pallet. "Oh Malfoy! You don't have to do that! We can share the bed if you'd like!" 

"No need. It obviously makes you uncomfortable, so I don't mind the floor." He was about to climb into his makeshift bed, when he looked back at me. Wordlessly, Malfoy walked towards me. As he snaked his hands around my waist, I said in astonishment, "Malfoy, what are you doing?" 

"I'm afraid if I never pulled you inside, you would be in the hallway all night." I just realized that I had been standing against the door to our hotel room, and with his one swift motion, I was standing a little ways in our room, just enough for the door to swing past me and close. 

"Thanks!" 

"Now, Granger," he said as he plopped down on his pallet, "Please try and go to sleep. We have a long road ahead of us."


End file.
